The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-03-16
A Word TO Fathers.

SIR. Editor Il have read with interest
articles in your paper from Mrs c. l.. F., f.
A. Blaisdel, Rose Meredith and others.
Their talks have been to mothers. l would
like to say few words to fathers. My
work for few years has taken me about
from one place to another, and have had
chance to know how differently the daugh-
tiers are treated from the sons-that is, in
some families. AS soon as the son arrives
at the age of twenty-one-and sometimes
twenty-five is hired by the month, or year,
and is paid oftentimes much higher wages
than he could command elsewhere, with the
privilege of spending them just as he
chooses How is it with the daughter?
Mother may need her just as much, but if
she stays at home and helps her she is ex-
pected, and obliged, to work for her board
and clothes-and have known cases where
the clothes would have been very few if she
had not planned from one years end to the
other how to earn a little money in differ
ent ways. She can take her choice between
this way of living and going away from
home to work, letting poor mother work
herself to death. Why is this so? Is it be-
cause the daughters are not as capable of
taking care of their earnings as the sons?
Many times they are much more capable, and
would save great deal more, even though
their wages are not one-half as high as
general thing. / know the majority of girls
marry and are expected to have some
one to take care of them, but it often hap
pens that they get some one to take care of
instead. But there are girls who do not
marry, and they will have to take care of
themselves if they work on at home, with
no chance to save anything for rainy
day for rainy days will come to ALL
What are they to do when old age comes, or
sickness and they have no home to stay in?
The city or town will provide, of course,
but what an unpleasant prospect! Fathers,
you who have daughters that are needed at
home, will you not give them an allowance
Gf you do not want to hire them)-so much
week or month, just as you can afford?
1t will be much better for them. They will
learn how to spend money and also how TO
save twill learn the value of money.
They will be much happier to feel that they
are supporting themselves than to think
they are dependent upon even father.
When l hear of girl or woman committing
suicide or going in paths of wickedness
often wonder if they were the only ones to
blame. Perhaps had they been justly
treated they would have had courage to
have lived out in righteousness the
lives which God gave them. Enough
thought is not given TO the causes of these
things. 1t is only
One more unfortunate
Weary of breath,
Rashly mportunate
Gone to her death"
or worse than death. / do not say all faith
ers are like those of whom | have been
speaking. Oh, no. Some go as far the
other way-throwing out money extrava-
gantly, to be wasted, without even counting
the cost of anything-and some are between
the two extremes but too many men think
woman's work is nothing, and therefore
worth nothing more than the bare necessi-
ties of life. Let me give you little sketch
from real life; young girl had a COM
Portable home-enough to eat and drink,
with clothes so she could get along. Her
parents were anxious for her to stay with
Them and indeed she was greatly needed
so she worked on, year after year, doing all
she could to help both father and mother
but with no pocket money" and nc